Family Drive-In
1420 W. Business U.S. 60,
Dexter,
MO
63841
1420 W. Business U.S. 60,
Dexter,
MO
63841
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A closer address is 1420 W Business U.S. 60, Dexter, MO.
This puts it right next to the old entrance road. From the aerial photos, it was demolished between 1980 and 1985. Leaving only the projection booth/concession stand which is still present today.
https://tinyurl.com/2kdbsmak
June 24, 1950 grand opening ad with “Valley of Giants” In photos.
Closed in the early-1980s.
Another project that apparently never finished, I’ll leave this note here.
Boxoffice, Feb. 4, 1950: “A new drive-in is to be built on Highway 25 one mile south of Dexter. The ozoner will be named Weeks' Modern Drive-In.”
Now ABC Storage and Bank of Advance, the concession building still exists as the office for the storage business.
From the May 6, 1950 issue of BoxOffice:
“The Dexter Drive-In on Highway 60 about a mile and one-half west of Dexter will open about June 1. This 400-car project is owned by State Senator Newell (sic) Lawrence of Bloomfield and associates. Norwin Garner will be the manager.”
A later issue reported that the Dexter opened June 23. Yewell Lawrence died in a car accident the following January.
From the April 21, 1956 Motion Picture Herald:
“The Family drive-in theatre, Dester (sic), Mo., has been sold to Winifred Garner, Dr. E. G. Bailey, Sr. and Dr. E. G. Bailey, Jr., by the Lawrence family. The theatre was built in 1950 by the late Yewell Lawrence and had been owned and operated by the Lawrence family ever since.”
The address for this Drive-in is 1454 U.S.60 BUS, Dexter MO 63841.
Please update.
Legal problems in 1976:
http://tinyurl.com/38nmpn